Barber, Coryell, Revis among the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023

2/9/23

Claire Overton

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023 was announced tonight at the NFL Honors. The names of eight players and a coach are going to be written into history in Canton, Ohio as being one of the best.

Rondé Barber, Buccaneers legend, was the first name called. Barber is the only player with more than 40 interceptions and 25 sacks. He still leads the Buccaneers franchise in interceptions (47) and defensive touchdowns (12). Barbar was previously on the ballot five times, and after the sixth, he finally made it to the HOF.

Unlike Barber, the next inductee, Darrelle Revis, is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Revis was a cornerback for the New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and New England Patriots. He won his only Super Bowl ring with the Patriots before returning back to the Jets and then finishing his career with the Chiefs.

The third-overall pick of the 2007 draft, Joe Thomas, is going to the HOF. He started 167 straight games for the Cleveland Browns at left tackle, made 10 Pro Bowls and six first-team All-Pro honors. Thomas recorded 10,363 consecutive snaps for Cleveland, but none were in the postseason. He was one of five players in NFL history to make the Pro Bowl in his first 10 seasons.

After 10 years of eligibility, Zach Thomas is going to Canton. He was drafted in 1996 and came in second for the Defensive Rookie of the Year. He played for the Dolphins for most of his career but finished with the Dallas Cowboys for a season. He recorded 20.5 sacks, 17 interceptions, four pick-sixes, and 1,734 career tackles. 

DeMarcus Ware shined on the Cowboys and Broncos for his NFL career. Ware is a nine-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro. He is ninth most in the league for career sacks with 138.5. He sacked Cam Newton twice in Super Bowl 50 to help the Panthers win, his first and only Super Bowl win.

Don Coryell, is the sole coach/contributor finalist for the Class of 2023. In 14 seasons, his record was 111-83-1, including six playoff appearances and a Coach of the Year honor. Coryell is now a College Football Hall of Famer and a Pro Football Hall of Famer. His daughter stood in his place.

Chuck Howley is the only player to win Super Bowl MVP in a game where he lost. Howley helped to turn the Cowboys franchise around and into what it became known as “America’s Team”. Howley is also a senior finalist for the Class of 2023. His son, Scott Howley, represented him on stage.

The next inductee earned Pro Bowl nods at three different positions, Joe Klecko. Klecko was a member of The New York Stock Exchange. Klecko was previously nominated for the HOF many times but never got there. He enters the HOF this year as a senior finalist.

The last name inducted is Ken Riley. He was drafted by Cincinnati in 1969 and played all 15 years of his career with the Bengals. He had about one interception in every season career, finishing with 65. He was also represented by her son s son, Ken RIley II